www.swaniti.in    

 

 Kathalbari   Village   Committee   (VC)   (Census   Code:   272500)   is   an  Autonomous  District  Council  (ADC)  village  under  the  Tripura  Tribal  Area   Autonomous   District   Council   (TTAADC).   It   is   located   in  Ambassa  Block  of  Dhalai  district  and  is  part  of  the  Tripura  East  Lok  Sabha   Constituency.   The   Work   Participation   Rate   (WPR)   is   40.4;  the   WPR   of   males   is   48.3   and   that   of   females   is   32.1.   Here,   65  percent  of  the  workers  describe  their  work  as  Main  Work  (earning  for   >6   months)   and   45   percent   of   the   workers   are   involved   in  agriculture  as  cultivators  or  agricultural  labourers.  Moreover,  there  are  199  households,  who  practice   the   Jhum/Slash  &  Burn  method  of  cultivation.      

Due   to   the   paucity   of   consistent   job   opportunities   and   a   steady  source   of   income,   it   is   important   to   leverage   the   existing   natural  and   human   resources   and   also   equip   the   population   with   the  additional   skills   required   to   explore   alternative   sources   of  livelihood.   Moreover,   this   is   specifically   important   for   the  households  involved  in  Jhum  cultivation.    

Bamboo Handicraft Training Session – Leveraging Institutions to Create Livelihood Opportunity    Enhancing  Livelihood  Opportunities    

       Mr.  Jitendra  Chaudhury  has  identified  Kathalbari,  a  GP  in  Ambassa  Block  for  development   as   an   Adarsh   Gram  under   the   Saansad   Adarsh   Gram  Yojana   (SAGY).  When  Mr.  Chaudhury  outlined   his   vision   for   the  development  of  Kathalbari,  he  placed  special   emphasis   on   the  participation  of   the   community   so   as   to   empower  the   people   to   come   up   with   local  solutions  to  local  problems.  It  is  in  line  with   this   vision   that   Swaniti   team  worked   on   exploring   potential  avenues  to  engage  the  rural  people  in  Kathalbari   and   augment   their  incomes;   one   of   the   possibilities   was  to   provide   training   to   interested   16  participants   under   Bamboo  Handicraft   as   form   of   alternative  source   of   livelihood   and   wider  dissemination   of   skills,   thus  implementing   the   Phase   I   process   of  providing  employment  opportunity  to  villagers  in  Kathalbari.    

Mr. Jitendra Chaudhury (MP, Tripura East) SAGY Development Programme in Kathalbari VC

“With   the   lack  of  steady   job  opportunities   in  and  around  the  village,  initiating   Bamboo   Handicraft   Training   Session   would   be   taking   one  step  towards  creating  an  alternative   livelihood  option   for   the  people  in  Kathalbari  VC”.  

-­‐  Mrs.  Menaxshi  Reang,  PRI  member,  Kathalbari  Para,  Kathalbari  VC  

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Outlining the Vision – Develop Human Capital

Swaniti  Initiative,  in  partnership  with  Mr.  Jitendra  Chaudhury,  the  Honourable  MP  representing  Tripura  East  Constituency  in  Lok  Sabha  launched  the  SAGY  Development  Programme  (SDP)  in  Kathalbari  Village  Committee  (VC)  in  June  2016.  During  the  interaction  with  Swaniti  Initiative,  Mr.  Chaudhury  expressed  his  desire  to  develop  Kathalbari  in  a  holistic  manner.  He  stated  that  one  of  the  most  crucial  components  for  achieving  the  same  would  be  to  introduce  skills  that  would  create  employment  opportunity  for  both  men  and  women  in  the  village.  Keeping  his  vision  in  mind,  Swaniti  Initiative  focused  on  identifying  alternative  sources  of  livelihood  for  the  people  in  the  village  and  exploring  the  possibility  of  partnering  with  reputed  organizations  to  create  a  platform  that  would  provide  employment  and  income  generating  source  for  the  people  in  Kathalbari  VC.  

Partnering with United Bank of India – RSETI and Indo-German Development

Cooperation – Developing Institutional Partnerships

During  the  visit  in  month  of  November  2016,  the  team  observed  that  even  with  availability  of  bamboo  in  the  area,  the  villagers  did  not  have  the  skill  to  create  valuable  products  out  of  it,  which  could  be  used  for  both   commercial   and   domestic   purpose.   Tripura   has   the   third   highest   bamboo   bearing   area   in   the  country   as   percentage   of   the   total   geographical   area;   62.82   percent   of   the   bamboo   bearing   area   in  Tripura   is   comprised   of   pure   and   dense   bamboo,   the   second   highest   percentage   of   pure   and   dense  bamboo   plantation   in   the   country.   Thus,   the   team   after   a   discussion  with   the   Panchayat   Raj   Institute  (PRI)  members  and  villagers  of  Kathalbari  VC,  decided  to  organise  a  Bamboo  Handicraft  Training  Session  in   collaboration   with   UBI-­‐Rural   Self   Employment   Training   Institute   (RSETI)   and   Indo-­‐German  Development  Cooperation   (IGDC).  Both   these  organisations  have  been  extensively  working   to   enhance  livelihood  opportunities   for   the   rural   and   forest  dependent   communities   in  Tripura.  Hence,  partnering  with  these  organisations  would  pave  the  path  towards  commencing  this  initiative  in  a  successful  manner.  

 

 

 

 

The Bamboo Handicraft Training Session – Creating Alternative Source of Livelihood

through Traditional Methods

To  outline  the  next  step,  the  team  met  Mr.  Swapan  Barma,  Director,  UBI-­‐RSETI  and  Mr.  Bablu  Mog,  ADPO,  IGDC   to   discuss   the   possibility   of   collaborating   for   the   project   and   initiating   the   bamboo   handicraft  

UBI-­‐RSETI   IGDC  

Conduct   15   days  residential   Bamboo  Handicraft   Training  programme  

Sponsoring   the   training  session;  a  stipend  of   INR  700  to  each  trainee  

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 training  session.  Based  on  extensive  discussions  with  the  two  institutions  and  taking  into  consideration  the   inputs   and   feedback   received   from   different   stakeholders,   the   team   prepared   a   proposal,  incorporating   the  problem  statement,  objectives  and  proposed  steps   to  resolve   the  gaps  observed.  The  said  proposal  was  submitted   to  Mr.  Chaudhury   for  his  approval.  After   receiving  his  approval,   the   team  met  Mr.  A.K  Gupta,  CEO  &  PD,  IGDC  in  Agartala  to  share  the  proposal  and  discussed  the  scope  of  providing  stipend   (INR   700   each)   as   an   incentive   for   the   trainees.   Upon   due   consideration   of   the   submitted  proposal   and   post   a   detailed   discussion   with   Mr.   Chaudhury   and   the   team,   Mr.   A.K   Gupta   agreed   to  participate  in  the  programme  as  the  funding  partner.    

Post   this,   the   Director   of   UBI-­‐RSETI   worked   with   the   team   to   finalize   the   logistics   pertaining   to   the  training  session.  It  was  decided  that  the  training  would  be  conducted  for  a  batch  of  15  people  for  15  days.  Keeping   in   mind   the   availability   of   the   villagers   and   in   order   to   avoid   overlap   between   MGNREGA’s  working   days,   the   Director   finalized   a   two-­‐week   period   between   23rd   December   and   6th   January   to  conduct  the  training  session.  He  also  introduced  the  team  to  Mr.  Rakhal  Sutradhar,  Master  Trainer,  who  outlined   the   advantage   of   offering   such   training   to   the   villagers   and   the   scope   for   creating   market  linkages  in  Agartala.  Mr.  Sutradhar  stated  that  this  unique  initiative  would  not  only  enable  the  training  of  individual  but  also  result  in  wider  dissemination  of  skills,  offering  a  sustainable  source  of  livelihood  for  the  villagers  and  augment  their  income,  thus  empowering  them  and  society  at  large.  

Objectives of the Training Session

The  training  session  was  initiated  in  line  with  the  below-­‐mentioned  objectives:  

 

 

 

•  Training   session   would  not   jus t   prov ide   an  alternative   source   of  sustainable   livelihood   for  the   peop le   but   a l so  p r o m o t e   h i n a n c i a l  i n d e p e n d e n c e   a n d  entrepreneurship;   the  training   concept   would  also   encourage   wider  s c op e   o f   e nh an c i n g  traditional  skill  among  the  people  in  Kathalbari.      

Create  Sustainable  Source  of  Livelihood  

• The   newly   formed   Mahila  Mandal   is   a   unique   group  formed   to   empower   the  young  women  of  Kathalbari.  The  training  would  facilitate  and   enhance   them   with   the  additional   skill   to   prepare  v a r i o u s   B a m b o o  Handicrafts.  This  would  help  incorporate   enterpreneur  skill  among  the  participants.  

Empowering  Women  Community   • It  would   go   a   long  way   in  

developing   Kathalbari   as  an   Adarsh   Gram,   since   it  would   help   the   trained  candidates   play   an   even  more   active   role   in   the  decision   making   process  in   VC   as   they   would   be  c o n h i d e n t   a n d  economically   liberated.  This     would   result   in  economic  development  for  the   entire   VC   and   overall  social  development.  

Taking  a  Step  forward  to  create  an  Adarsh  Gram  

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The Participants and the Training Module

Once   these  details   had  been   finalized,   the   team  worked  on   identifying   the  participants   in   consultation  with  the  villagers  and  the  PRI  members.  The  focus  was  to  bring  in  young  participants,  especially  women  and   girls   and   train   them   to   create   bamboo   handicrafts.   Accordingly,   the   team   focused   on   creating  awareness   about   the   session   and   the   VC   Office   made   an   announcement   across   all   the   wards.  Subsequently,   20   interested   people   register   themselves   for   the   session   and   16   of   them   attended   the  complete  session,  which  was  also  a  residential  training  programme  conducted  at  the  RSETI  itself.  The  list  of  participants  is  attached  in  Annexure  I.  

The  Director  of  UBI-­‐RSETI  designed   the  course  module  of   the  session.  The  course  contained  a  detailed  explanation  of  crafting  bamboo  products  both  in  theory  and  practise.  Apart  from  this,  a  special  class  on  marketing  and  strategy  was  also   included   in   the  course.  This  was   in   line  with  creating  entrepreneurial  skills  among  the  trainees.  The  course  module  of  the  session  is  attached  herewith  as  Annexure  II.  

Ice  Breaking  Session  conducted  to  introduce  the  trainees  

Master  Trainer  teaching  to  craft  the  Bamboo     Interactive  Session  with  the  Trainees  and  Master  Trainer  

Mr.  Babu  Mog,  IGDC  addressing  the  trainees    

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Final Bamboo Products produced during the Training Session  During  the  training  session,  16  participants  were  divided  in  four  groups.  The  master  trainer  during  the  training  period,  taught  them  to  identify  different  types  of  bamboo,  use  appropriate  equipment  required  to  make  various  bamboo  products,  provided  details  on  various  designs  and  style  etc.  As  per  the  course  schedule,   by   end   of   training   session,   the   participants   prepared   bamboo   curtains,   bamboo   baskets   of  small,  medium  and   large  sizes,  bamboo   flowers  and  vases,  bamboo  ashtrays  and  bamboo  sitting  stools  (known  as  mura).    These  products  can  be  broadly  categorised  as  wood  substitutes  and  composite.  Thus,  the  utility  of  these  products  is  just  not  limited  to  domestic  use.  These  products  are  in  high  demand  and  can  be  sold  at  profit-­‐making  price,  if  produced  in  bulk.        

   

         

           

First  Phase  of  crafting  the  Bamboo  Bamboo  Flowers  and  Vases  prepared  by  the  Trainees  

16

11,200 Participants across 4 habitations of Kathalbari VC participated in the 15-days Residential Training Session

Thousand Rupees funded by IGDC; stipend of INR 700 was provided to each trainee as an incentive

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The Next Steps   – Scaling the Training Session and Creating Market Linkage for the

Community      

     

   

                 

 

 

 

 

 

Annexure I: List of the Trainees participated in Bamboo Handicraft Training Session

S.  No.   Name  of  the  Trainees   Habitations  

1.   Mr.  Mitraham  Reang,  S/O,  Biswaram  Reang   Satyaram  Chaudhury  para  

2.   Ms.  Janita  Reang,  D/O,  Udaiham  Reang   Satyaram  Chaudhury  para  

3.   Mr.  Majendro  Reang,  S/O  Garamjoy  Reang   Satyaram  Chaudhury  para  

4.   Mr.  Tapan  Debbarma,  S/O  Sukharam  Debbarma   Satyaram  Chaudhury  para  

Inculcating Skills

Market Linkage

Livelihood Generation

To create market platform for the trainees, Swaniti is in touch with an NGO, Dishari. As per discussions, it was decided that Dishari would support interested candidates by providing market space to sell the handicraft products they prepare. With these skills and option of

market linkage, a source of income generation has been provided. This would generate sustainable employment through backward and forward integration of rural bamboo-based enterprise development, thereby increasing the income of the households of the rural poor.

With the availability of bamboo as an input, the trainees now can prepare the bamboo products for domestic and commercial purpose

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 5.   Ms.  Sanjana  Reang,  D/O  Ram  Guna  Reang   Satyaram  Chaudhury  para  

6.   Mr.  Rifrusai  Mog,  S/O  Chafru  Mog   Mog  Para  

7.   Ms.  Mama  Mog,  D/O  Thogri  Mog   Mog  Para  

8.   Ms.  Paima  Mog,  D/O  Mrasathai  Mog   Mog  Para  

9.   Mr,  Gouranga  Kalai,  S/O  Lt.  Sarat  Kalai   Jinerai  Para  

10   Mr.  Dharensa  Tripura,  S/O  Lt.  Nipendra  Tripura   Jinerai  Para  

11   Mr.  Hlachaching  Mog,  D/O  Lt.  Ankiojoy  Mog   Satyaram  Chaudhuru  Para  

12   Ms.  Nisha  Reang,  D/O  Lt.  Rabindra  Reang   Kathalbari  Para  

13   Ms.  Ashabati  Reang,  D/O  Fanindra  Reang   Kathalbari  Para  

14   Mr.  Bajirai  Reang,  S/O  Garamjoy  Reang   Satyaram  Chaudhury  Para  

15   Mr.  Niranjoy  Reang,  S/O  Khunangrai  Reang   Satyaram  Chaudhury  para  

16   Mr.  Mitraham  Reang,  S/O  Biswaram  Reang   Satyaram  Chaudhury  para  

Annexure II: The Course Module of the Bamboo Handicraft Training Session

DAY   DATE   SESSIONS   SUBJECTS   FACILITATOR  

01   23.12.2016   I,II,III  &  IV  

Registration  &  Inauguration  

Micro-­‐lab  &  Ice-­‐Breaking  Exercise  

Achievement  Motivation-­‐Confidence  building  

DIR/VIPs  

DIR  

DIR  

02   24.12.2016   I,II,III  &  IV  

Entrepreneurial  Competencies-­‐Explain  with  examples  

Eradication  of  Dependency    Syndrome-­‐Tower  Building  exercise  

DIR  

DIR  

03   25.12.2016   I,II,III  &  IV   Introduction  to  Bamboo/Cane  product-­‐  Scope   RS-­‐MT  

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 Use  of  bamboo  &  cane  products,  selection  of  products,  selection  of  products,  raw  materials  

availability  

Theory  on  preparation  of  photo  frame  

Practical  of  photo  frame  

RS-­‐MT  

 

RS-­‐MT  

RS-­‐MT  

04   26.12.2016   I  to  IV   Practical  of  Photo  Frame   RS-­‐MT  

05   27.12.2016   I,II,III  &  IV  

Time  Management  

Theory  on  preparation  of  boat  of  different  size  i.e.  small,  medium  and  big  

Practical  of  small  size  boat  

DIR/ARC  

RS-­‐MT  

RS-­‐MT  

06   28.12.2016  I  

II  to  IV  

Practical  of  small  size  boat  

Practical  of  medium  size  boat  

RS-­‐MT  

RS-­‐MT  

07   29.12.2016  I  

II  to  IV  

Practical  of  medium  size  boat  

Practical  of  big  size  boat  

RS-­‐MT  

RS-­‐MT  

08   30.12.2016   I,II,III  &  IV  

Practical  of  big  size  boat  

Theory-­‐  Preparation  of  Flower  Vases-­‐Stand  piece  and  wall  piece  type  

Practical  of  preparation  of  Flower  Vase-­‐  Stand  piece  type  

RS-­‐MT  

RS-­‐MT  

RS-­‐MT  

09   31.12.2016   I  to  IV   Practical  of  Flower  Vase-­‐  Stand  piece  type   RS-­‐MT  

10   01.01.2017  I  

II  to  IV  

Effective  communication  skills  

Practical  of  preparation  of  Flower  Vase-­‐  Wall  piece  type  

DIR/ARC  

RS-­‐MT  

11   02.01.2017   I   Theory  on  preparation  of  cane  chair   RS-­‐MT  

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 II  to  IV   Practical  of  preparation  of  cane  chair   RS-­‐MT  

12   03.01.2017   I,  II,  III  &  IV  

Practical  of  preparation  of  acne  chair  

Theory-­‐  preparation  of  basket  

Practical  on  preparation  of  basket  

RS-­‐MT  

RS-­‐MT  

RS-­‐MT  

13   04.01.2017  I  to  III  

IV  

Practical  of  preparation  of  basket  

Marketing  management-­‐4Ps  of  marketing,  managing  the  customer  

RS-­‐MT  

DIR/ARC  

14   05.01.2017   I,  II,  III  &  IV  

Maintenance  of  records  &  book  keeping-­‐methodology  

Costing,  pricing-­‐  Fixed  Cost-­‐Variable  Cost,  Break-­‐even  point  etc.  

Banking-­‐deposits  &  advances,  lending  schemes/Govt.  schemes  

DIR/ARC  

DIR  

DIR/ARC  

15   06.01.2017  I  &  II  

III  &  IV  

Business  plan/project  report  Preparation-­‐Practical  

Feedback/  Valedictory  

DIR  

 

DIR/VIPs  

 

DIR  –  Director  of  RSETI,  Mr.  Swapan  Barma,  RS-­‐MT-­‐Master  Trainer  (Mr.  Rakhal  Sutradhar),  ARC-­‐  Faculty,  Mr.  Arindam  Roy  Choudhury